by Fr. Hilary Conti, O.S.B.

     To see Jesus is my great desire.  I went to Turin, Italy, for only one reason:  to be able to see Him.  I did see Jesus, not face to face, but almost, when I saw the impression of His Body on the Holy Shroud.  It was a religious experience to be so close, to behold the very same linen bought by Joseph of Arimathea, as we know from the Gospels.  The Blessed Mother may have handled that linen cloth in helping to wrap lovingly and gently the Body and her only Son in the sepulcher.

     Such thoughts were running through my mind while I was contemplating the most sensational historical evidence of the life of Christ on earth.  Jesus was lying in state, with His eyes closed in death, the climax of His life on earth.  He wanted to be remembered as giving up His life to enjoy our company in Heaven.  But the climax of my pilgrimage came later when listening to a conference by a medical doctor.

     The doctor exhibited two large photographic reproductions (2’ X 4’) of the person of Christ (the frontal and rear image as it appears on the photographic negative of the Holy Shroud).  Then with a pointer he showed us the details: the Face, the Hands and Feet.  Yes, there it is, the impression of the whole Person of Christ.  On the two photographic reproductions it was remarkably clear; and the more I kept looking, the more I was able to see.

     I was so touched that tears came to my eyes.  Here it is, a second epiphany; scientists from all over the world coming to see the Holy Shroud and in wonder saying, I believe.  Now let us concentrate, the doctor said, on the details of the Face.  The white spots around the head are drops of blood from the crown of thorns.  From the position of the drops of blood it seems that the crown was something like a cap of thorns which covered the whole head.  From the right cheek all the way to the nose there is a large swollen bruise probably caused by a blow with a stick.  The right eye is not so clear because there is another swelling caused probably by a blow with a fist.  On the right of the lower jaw there is another swelling probably the results of a blow with a fist or when He fell under the cross.

     Jesus had long hair.  It was a sign of a man dedicated to prayer.  What is surprising is the fact that the hair is well combed.  Jesus had His hands tied during the last 15 hours of His life, either behind Him or to the cross.  Therefore, His hair should be all unkempt, especially because of the abuse by the soldiers.  It means that some kind person has combed His hair.  Here we can guess the hand of the Blessed Mother.